Movie Review – The Willoughbys
Sometimes you find yourself aimlessly scrolling through Netflix, tossing up between a thriller or a classic tv show. I found myself doing the same thing the other day until I eventually landed on the film “The Willoughbys”. It looked appealing enough, with whimsical characters that had wool for hair. I have a soft spot for animated films, and children’s films in general, so it wasn’t long before the Netflix original became my lunchtime entertainment. I was expecting the usual, a poorly written movie with way too many fart jokes – typical for any low-budget kids film. A silly movie with a lighthearted moral, all neatly packaged for streaming-service youth. Silly movie – silly me, turns out I was in for a wonderfully woven (pun intended) tale of child abuse. Yes, child abuse – in a kid’s film. The story follows a family of six living in an old house boxed in by skyscrapers. After a hasty introduction to the family’s history, we meet our lead character Tim Willoughby – who we see abandoned in the hallway approximately five minutes after being born. Then follows the siblings; a daughter named Jane who (like all family-friendly heroines) insists on singing every couple plot points, and twin sons both named Barnaby. We follow Tim, Jane, Barnaby and Barnaby as they try to convince their parents to give them food – a bleak starting point for sure. It doesn’t take long for us viewers to get the picture, bad parents and sad kids. Fighting fire with fire, the young ones construct a brilliant plan – murder. After scamming their parents into a deadly vacation, the four end up meeting their nanny – who ultimately becomes an important figure in their lives. Ignoring the parents, it’s a happy ending for all. Jumping from gags about pink mustaches to child protective services, it ironically manages to handle the heavier parts pretty well – maintaining respect while still managing to be lighthearted enough to keep a 6 year-old watching. Definitely an odd film, but not the worst – and like all modern films the animation is nothing to sneer at.
Even though this film threw me through a loop, the whiplash Willoughbys’ are worth a look on your next rainy day – 6/10